Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1887-06-17
WOMAN SUFFRAGE.


suffrage, and feeling myself very deep
interest i'll the result Of the experiment
that is now being tried in Kansas | in
tend to state few reasOnsDhat controlled
me as one Of your representatives in con
gress in voting against the intended 10Th
amendment TO the constitution of the Uni
ted States, proposing to remove the re-
strictions either by the United States or
any state upon the right of voting on ac-
count OF sex not by way of eXculpatiOn or
for the purpose of justifying myself in
the presence of a portion of my constitu-
ency who have long hOnOred me with
their confidence, aud whose good opinion
and favorable judgment am sincerely So
licitous TO retain.
shall endeavor TO treat this subject in
a strictly judicial aspect, not obscured by
sentiment, Or by fancy, or by ridicule, or
by emotions, for feel nothing but pro-
found respect for the advocates of the
movement that is known AS that for equal
and impartial suffrage, or that of extend
ing the right Of voting to women.
Let us consider Tor moment what are
the objects and purposes of civil govern
ment among men: They are not obscure
nor difficult to understand, nor my.teri-
Gus. They are simply plan Of govern
ment intended to secure the widest posi-
BILE diffusion of civil or political rights
| among the body OF citizens, accompanied
by guarantees OF the protection of life,
the preservation of liberty, and the securi-
ty OF property. Government is intended
to secure TO each individual the widest
possible consistent with the general good.
10 every laboring man should be allowed
reasonable wages for voluntary labor.
The means of knowledge should be as
wide as the desire to know, and the op-
pOrtunities for happiness should be COM
mensurate with the capacity to enjoy.
This world is good deal governed by
phrases. And there is one phrase used in
connection with government that has
done much mischief, and that is that all
just governments depend upon the con-
sent OF the governed. This is fallacy.
Government does not depend upon the
consent of the governed. In its last analy-
sis goycrnmen, depends upon force The
| majority cOnscnting to rule the minority,
and the minority Obeying because they
are compelled to obey. Why is it citizens
of any state, submit to that system of
grand and petty larceny that goes by the
name of taxation? Because they consent l.?
No. 1t is because tho man Who is taxed
knows that unless he pays his tax the col
lector will appear. Ii he refuses to pay,
that his property will be exposed for sale
and that the sheriff will make deed of
his property to another; that if he refus-
es at the expiration of the lawful time to
abandon his property to the purchaser by
the sheriff's deed that he will be elected.
That if the sheriff is not strong enough
the posse commitatus. If it fails that a
call upon the government for the militia
and il there is not sufficient force in the
militia that the government of the United
States, with the beak and claw of national
power, and the army and the navy, stand
ready to enforce the decree of the law. We
had another illustration about govern
ments resting upon the consent of the gov
erned not a great while ago. Eleven
states in the south thought that govern
mcnt rested on the consent Of the govern
ed. They were disseminated with tho &C.
ton OF the majority elcclIng Abraham
Lincoln president, and they sought to ex-
ercisc their consent by peaceably with
drawing from the union of the states. My
impression is that before the close of that
controversy they became convinced, as
have stated, that just government rests
not upon the consent of the governed, but
rests upon tne IOrce.
Why do l allude to this in connection
with this subject? 1t is for the purpose
OF announcing this aphOrism; and that is
that in this government none of the citi-
zens should be allowed to participate Ell
ther in the enactment of laws or the for
nation of Legislation who cannot enforce
their action at the point Of the bayonet, if
necessary. If saw ft to pause here
might leave this argument without fur
ther deduction. That in all governments,
in all ages, from the remOtest antiquity,
no class has ever been permitted to parti-
cipate in legislation nor in politics that
has not been able to enfOrce and defend
its institutions and legislation by force
physical force. That was the process Of
all barbarOus nations. But in latter times
metaphysics has interfered and the strug-
gle for supremacy by physical force has
ceased, and what have we in its place?
Mere computation. The idea that the ma
jOrity of those who participate will gener-
ally uniformly be found to be the strong
est, society has agreed to count instead OF
to fight. We have substituted mathema-
tics for pugilism. And now instead OF 60
ing TO battle for the purpose Of establish
ing and administering system or method
Of government, We simply count yea on
one side and nay on the other. and that is
what suffrage means. The same princi-
pie undcrlies it, The same principle was
beneath the election of Grover Cleveland
| that was beneath the election ot Abraham
Lincoln, only instead of fighting fer the
purpose of determining the result, and
compelling acGuiescence CT those who dis
| agreed with them. BY a majority Of 1,
O47 in the state of New York, Grover
Cleveland was declared, to he elected pres
dent of the United States, and Installed in
office.
Let me pursue the subject further, and
ask your attention upon this proposition,
and that is whether suffrage is privilege
or right The capacity of being count
| ed on one side or the Other-belng among
the same number of those who, ifthey had
the chance and should be in the majority
can enforce their DEGREES, in physical com
bat in war, in battle, if necessary. what
is this right of voting? 1t is privilege
or a natural Unborn right, like the righ'
to live, like the right to breathe, like the
right to move and exercise ones junction;
The advocates of equal suffrage contend
that it is an Unborn inalienable right, like
The right to enjoy the light OF the sun and
| the exercise of ones functions ana lacui
ties and powers think in the brief an
alysis that have been able to give you OF
this subject that you will conclude win
me that the theory Of voting is an inalien,
able and Unborn right is untenable, ano
that society has always held that it was
privilege to be conferred only upon those
who would exercise it for the public wei
fare and for the general happiness.
What has suffrage been conditioned up
oup 1t has been conditioned upon nativ
iN, upon sex, upon religion, upon rank
upon military service, upon residence ano h"l
upon intelligence, but there never ma
been in all the records of all the clviliz4
tions, from the dawn of history down n ,t
present time, any recognition in any SHAPE
Whatever, that suffrage was the right W,s oI
citizen on account of his citizenship WnN
do we deny the right Of the minors TO Vo'' '
in this states Why do we say that nj NJ
man shall vote until he is twenty ,,an ,"n'
years Of age, Every one knows 'ns. tasG
are plenty of young men twenty years ON -
| vote AS / ALL